Simcha's Torah Stories - Ki Teitze

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Simcha's Torah Stories

Parshat Ki Teitze

GRATEFUL FAMILY

"Hurry up children, we only have a few minutes left. Leah, finish setting the table. Mutty, sweep the floor. Shoshie, Esti, finish getting dressed. Mommy, is the food ready?"

"Yes dear, everything is fine."

"Daddy, why does everything have to be so nice?"

"Because Mr. Goldberg is coming."

"Oof, Mr. Goldberg. We work so hard for Mr. Goldberg. Why?"

"Esti, every year around this time, Mr. Goldberg comes here to Israel to visit. We are honored to have him as a guest in our house."

"But Daddy, we treat him like he is a VIP"

"He is a very important person to our family. Do you want to know why?"

"Yes, we want to know why we are working so hard to make things nice for him."

"Many years ago, my great-grandfather and Mr. Goldberg's great-grandfather were friends in Russia. Those were dangerous times for the Jewish people. My great-grandfather was captured by the Cossacks and thrown into prison. Mr. Goldberg's great-grandfather risked his life to get my great-grandfather out of prison. Were it not for him, my great-grandfather would have died a young man in prison, and none of us would be here today."

"Wow!"

"Now do you see why we give Mr. Goldberg the red-carpet treatment?"

"We sure do, Daddy."

"The Ammonites and Moabites should have been so nice to the Jewish people."

"What do you mean Shoshie?"

"We learned about them in this week's parsha class. Lot was the father of those two nations. Avraham Avinu, our father Abraham, saved Lot's life, similar to the way Mr. Goldberg's great-grandfather saved our great-great-grandfather's life."

"Excellent, Shoshie! Please tell us the story."

"There was a huge war between four kings and five kings. It was really the first world war ever in history. The four kings won the war, and captured Lot. Avraham Avinu went to war against the four kings, risking his life to save Lot and his wife. Many generations later, the Jewish people again met up with Ammon and Moab on their way to the Land of Israel after their forty years in the desert."

"Ammon and Moab must have treated them royally, as we treat Mr. Goldberg. After all, Avraham saved Lot's life."

"Not exactly, Mutty. Not only did they not greet us with bread and water, but they hired the wicked Bilaam to curse us."

"That's terrible!"

"Exactly. Because of this, even their converts are not permitted to marry into our nation."

"I guess that G-d is trying to teach us all a lesson. What is that lesson kids?"

"We have to be grateful to people for good things they do for us."

"Right, Esti."

"We are all part of a big family called Klal Yisrael the Jewish people."

"Leah, you are on the ball. I am so proud of you kids. You really know your stuff. This is one great family."

"Mommy and Daddy, you taught us everything we know. Thank you!"

"This is one grateful family."


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Written by Simcha Groffman
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